Posted by Angela Montana on September 18, 2025If you have ever squinted at a critter popping out of the ground and thought, “Is that a gopher or a prairie dog?” Trust us, you’re not alone. Both are small rodents (and as you hopefully know, prairie dogs aren’t dogs at all) that spend their days tunneling underground. Prairie dogs, on the other hand, are the loud, social animals. Even their diets give them away: gophers sneak roots and bulbs, while prairie dogs snack on grass, buds, and the occasional insect. Both gophers and prairie dogs can tear up a lawn, but in different ways.